Topical compositions comprising fermented extracts of traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) ingredients, and methods of making and using same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to topical compositions containing fermented extracts of Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) ingredients for improving the appearance and skin condition of the user. The topical compositions of the present invention are tailored for different users of different skin compositions according to TCM principles. The fermented TCM extracts are characterized by reduced odor and/or color in comparison with unfermented TCM extracts and are therefore more suitable for use in cosmetic products.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No.12/713,959, filed Feb. 26, 2010, which claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.: 61/159,272, filed Mar. 11,2009, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.: 61/228,999,filed Jul. 28, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to topical compositions for improving theappearance and skin condition of a user, while such topical compositionscontain fermented extracts of Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM)ingredients with reduced color and odor. The present invention alsorelates to computer-based system and method for determining the skincomposition of a specific user and selecting a suitable topicalcomposition for such user based on his or her skin composition accordingto TCM principles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is great interest in the cosmetic industry to develop productscontaining natural plant-derived materials that may be applied topicallyto the skin to provide anti-acne, anti-oil, and anti-cellulite benefits.Plant-based cosmetic products that enhance the appearance of skin areincreasingly in demand. Active ingredients or components with skin carebenefits can be obtained from either the entire plant or various partsof a plant, such as seeds, needles, leaves, roots, bark, cones, stems,rhizomes, callus cells, protoplasts, organs and organ systems, andmeristems, either as dried powders or liquid extracts, which can then beincorporated into topical compositions.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (hereinafter “TCM”) has been in existencefor several thousands of years and is based largely on accumulated humanexperience in using naturally occurring plant and animal extracts totreat various diseases. In recently years, TCM practices have gainedsignificant recognition by the Western world, especially for treatmentof chronic pathological conditions. Certain TCM ingredients have beenknown to have skin care benefits for thousands of years, and cosmetic orskin care products containing such TCM ingredients are becoming morepopular. Because the TCM ingredients are all natural, they aresignificantly more appealing to customers who are conscious of the sideeffects and adverse environmental impacts of synthetic compounds.

However, it is important to note that the basic principles of TCM arequite different from that of the western medicinal sciences. Forexample, TCM believes that an internal physiological balance has to bemaintained for a person to be healthy, and all diseases are caused byone or more types of imbalances, and each type of imbalances manifeststhrough an identifiable pattern of symptom and requires a particular setof treatments for correction. A TCM practitioner typically uses acompound prescription containing a blend of multiple herbal ingredientsto treat various symptoms of a disease after careful examination of anindividual patient, and such prescription is specifically designed forthe patient to re-establish the internal physiological balance of suchpatient. In other words, the TCM practice takes an individualizedtreatment approach, instead of a “one-size-fits-all” treatment approach.

Unfortunately, the currently available skin care products containingnaturally occurring TCM ingredients are mass-marketed to all consumersand fail to implement the individualized treatment approach of TCM.Therefore, it would be desirable to provide new cosmetic and skin careproducts containing TCM ingredients that adopt the individualizedtreatment approach of TCM in improving the appearance and skin conditionof specific users.

Further, a problem commonly encountered when formulating TCM ingredientsinto cosmetic or skin care products is the distinctive color andundesirable odor associated with many TCM ingredients, which makes itdifficult to form aesthically and olfactorily acceptable cosmetic orskin care compositions containing such TCM ingredients. It would also bedesirable to process TCM ingredients by reducing the color and odor sothat they can be readily formulated into aesthically and olfactorilyacceptable cosmetic or skin care compositions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides topical compositions, each of whichcontains a unique blend of TCM ingredients specifically designed toimprove the appearance and skin conditions of a particularsub-population of users characterized by a specific skin composition,according to the TCM principles. Specifically, one aspect of the presentinvention relates to a topical composition containing fermented extractsof Cordyceps sinensis mycelia, Ginkgo biloba leaf, Polygonum cuspidatumrhizome, and Citrus reticulata peel, which can be applied to the skin ofa user with a balanced skin composition to improve the appearance andskin conditions of said user. Another aspect of the present inventionrelates to a topical composition containing fermented extracts ofGanoderma lucidum fruiting body, Selaginella tamariscina plant, Ginkgobiloba leaf, and Calendula officinalis flower, which can be applied tothe skin of a user with a Yang-dominant or balanced-to-Yang skincomposition to nourish Yin and restore the Yin-Yang balance in the skin.A further aspect of the present invention relates to a topicalcomposition containing fermented extracts of Rhodiola rosea rhizome,Perilla frutescens fruit, Phellodendron amurense bark, and Foeniculumvulgare seed, which can be applied to the skin of a user with aYin-dominant or balanced-to-Yin skin composition to nourish Yin andrestore the Yin-Yang balance in the skin.

The present invention also provides a method for preparing a topicalcomposition by first fermenting a blend of extracts from one or more TCMingredients known to have undesirable odor and/or color in the presenceof an aerobically metabolizing microorganism under suitable aerobicconditions for a period of time sufficient to reduce or eliminate theundesirable odor and/or color while preserving desirable biologicalactivities of said TCM ingredients, and then formulating the fermentedblend of TCM extracts into a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier to form said topical composition.

Further, the present invention provides a method for selecting a topicalcomposition for a user to improve the appearance or skin condition ofsaid user based on his or her skin composition, comprising: (a)collecting biological data from the user; (b) categorizing the skincomposition of the user based on the collected biological data, whereinsaid categorization is indicative of the Yin-Yang balance of the skin orthe lack thereof; and (c) selecting a topical composition for the user,wherein said topical composition contains a blend of fermented Chineseherbal extracts for maintaining or restoring the Yin-Yang balance of theskin. Preferably, the skin composition of the user is categorized byusing a statistical model that weights the biological data according toTCM principles.

Other aspects and objectives of the present invention will become moreapparent from the ensuring description, examples, and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT THEREOF

The present invention provides several topical compositions, each ofwhich contains a unique combination of fermented extracts of TCMingredients for targeting a sub-population of users with a specific skincomposition according to the TCM principles. In TCM practices, health isrepresented as a balance of Yin and Yang, which are opposing forcesinterconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise toeach other in turn. These two forces represent the bipolar manifestationof all things in nature, and because of this, one must be present toallow the other to exist. A constantly changing balance between Yin andYang should be maintained within the body of a person. When one force isregularly dominating over the other, the health of the patient canbecome compromised, resulting in illness and disease. Therefore, whendiagnosing a patient, TCM practitioners usually try to determine theexact nature of the Yin/Yang imbalance, and then correct it through theuse of acupuncture, herbal remedies, exercise, diet and lifestyle. Oncethe balance is restored in the body, so is health.

Correspondingly, the topical compositions provided by the presentinvention are specifically designed for different sub-population ofusers with different skin compositions, which can be categorizedaccording to the Yin and Yang balance/imbalance of the skin. Forexample, the skin compositions can be divided into three majorcategories: the Yin-Yang balanced skin composition (hereinafter referredto as “balanced skin composition”), the Yang-dominant skin composition,and the Yin-dominant skin composition. Additional categories can also beincluded to further quantify the degree of imbalance. For example, theskin composition categorization may further include a balance-to-Yangskin composition and a balance-to-Yin skin composition, which arerelatively balanced skin compositions with slight Yang or Yin symptoms.

The specific skin composition of a patient can be determined byobserving the skin condition, tongue color and tongue fur color of thepatient (which are two important factors to be considered by TCMpractitioners for diagnosis), as well as by gathering certaininformation from the patient regarding the person's age, bodilysensation, sleep pattern, and energy level. For example, the balancedskin composition is typically characterized by smooth, radiant, soft anddelicate skin with good elasticity and even skin tone, and patients withthe balanced skin composition usually also have lips and tongue of lightred color with thin, pale white tongue fur color. The Yang-dominant skincomposition is typically characterized by reddish cheek and red skintone, oily skin surface, and tendency to develop allergy, acne,pigmentation, and pre-mature wrinkles Patients with the Yang-dominantskin composition may also have lips and tongue of bright red color withyellow tongue fur color, and they typically prefer cold drinks, becomethirsty very easily, have bitter tastes in the mouth, often sweat whensleeping at night, easily irascible, and often suffer from internalheat. The Yin-dominant skin composition is typically characterized bypale skin tone, dry and easily desquamated skin with low waterabsorption and water retention capacity, and tendency to developpigmentation and pre-mature wrinkles Patients with the Yin-dominant skincomposition may have pale or blue lips, light red or pale tongue colorwith white tongue fur color, and they typically prefer hot drinks, haverelatively cold hands and feet, are sensitive to temperature decrease,and often feel tired or sleepy. Patients with balanced-to-Yang orbalanced-to-Yin skin composition may exhibit similar symptoms as thosewith Yang-dominant or Yin-dominant skin composition but to a lesserdegree.

Correspondingly, the present invention provides a method for selectingcosmetic or skin care products for users based on their specific skincompositions, by first collecting biological data (e.g., age, bodilysensation, sleep pattern, energy level, tongue color, tongue fur color,and skin condition of the user), then determining the skin compositionof the user based on the collected biological data, and finallyselecting a suitable cosmetic or skin care product for the usercorresponding to his or her skin composition. Preferably, the biologicaldata was collected by a preliminary facial examination of the user aswell as requesting the user to fill out a questionnaire, and the data socollected is then processed by a computer-based system programmed with astatistical model for specifically for determining the skin compositionsof a user by weighing the collected biological data according to TCMprinciples.

Unlike the Western medicinal science that typically uses one drug totreat one disease, the TCM practice adopts a compound or combinationalapproach in its herbal therapy, i.e., by using a blend of differentherbal ingredients to target the root cause as well as differentsymptoms of the disease. A typical TCM formula contains four majoringredients, each playing its unique role while working togethersynergistically to achieve the optimal treatment results. The four majoringredients have been described in ancient texts as “emperor” or “king,”“minister,” “assistant” and “servant”. This TCM philosophy models thesefour major ingredients components in a compound formula after a court ofan emperor. The emperor or king ingredient serves as the principle inattacking the root cause of the disease; the minister ingredient acts toassist and augment the emperor or king ingredient; the assistantingredient also assists the emperor or king ingredient, but it focuseson counter-reacting any possible side-effects of the emperor or kingingredient; and the servant ingredient acts to deliver the medicinewhere it should go. Sometimes, a single ingredient may perform double ortriple duties in a single TCM herbal formula, e.g., both as the king andthe minister, or as the king, the minister and the assistant, or thelike. Correspondingly, the TCM herbal formula may have only 2 or 3ingredients in total.

In the present invention, a blend of fermented plant extracts containingat least four, and preferably seven, ingredients is provided for userswith a balanced skin composition to maintain and strengthen the balancebetween Yin and Yang in the patient's skin, improve the immune systemand the skin barrier function of the patient, revitalize the skin, andenhance self-repair function of the skin. Such a blend containsfermented extracts from Cordyceps sinensis mycelia, Ginkgo biloba leaf,Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome, and Citrus reticulata peel. The Cordycepssinensis mycelia extract functions as the emperor or king ingredient inthis blend; the Ginkgo biloba leaf extract functions as the ministeringredient; the Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome extract functions as theassistant ingredient; and the Citrus reticulata peel extract functionsas the servant ingredient. Preferably, this blend of fermented plantextract further comprises one or more additional minister ingredientsselected from the group consisting of fermented extracts from Poriacocos sclerotium, Panax ginseng root, and Perilla frutescens fruit, andmost preferably, it comprises all three additional minister ingredients.

The fermented extract of Cordyceps sinensis mycelia is preferablypresent in this blend at an amount ranging from about 10% to about 40%,more preferably from about 15% to about 35%, and most preferably fromabout 20% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend. The fermentedextract of Ginkgo biloba leaf is preferably present in this blend at anamount ranging from about 2% to about 30%, more preferably from about 5%to about 20%, and most preferably from about 10% to about 15%, by totalweight of the blend. The fermented extract of Polygonum cuspidatumrhizome is preferably present in this blend at an amount ranging fromabout 2% to about 30%, more preferably from about 5% to about 20%, andmost preferably from about 10% to about 15%, by total weight of theblend. The fermented extract of Citrus reticulata peel is preferablypresent in this blend at an amount ranging from about 2% to about 30%,more preferably from about 5% to about 20%, and most preferably fromabout 10% to about 15%, by total weight of the blend. If present, thefermented extract of Poria cocos sclerotium is preferably at an amountranging from about 10% to about 40%, more preferably from about 15% toabout 35%, and most preferably from about 20% to about 30%, by totalweight of the blend. If present, the fermented extract of Panax ginsengroot is preferably at an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 15%,more preferably from about 1% to about 10%, and most preferably fromabout 3% to about 5%, by total weight of the blend. If present, thePerilla frutescens fruit is preferably at an amount ranging from about2% to about 30%, more preferably from about 5% to about 20%, and mostpreferably from about 10% to about 15%, by total weight of the blend.

For users with a Yang-dominant or balanced-to-Yang skin composition, thepresent invention provides a blend of fermented plant extractscontaining at least four, and preferably seven, ingredients to nourishthe Yin energy in the skin, balance/neutralize the excess Yang energy,promote metabolism in the skin, facilitate circulation of bodily fluidas well as transportation of any turbid Qi (which is believed to be thecause of various diseases in TCM theories), regulate the immune system,improve the skin barrier function, and enhance the self-repair functionof the skin. Such a blend contains fermented extracts from Ganodermalucidum fruiting body, Selaginella tamariscina plant, Ginkgo bilobaleaf, and Calendula officinalis flower. The Ganoderma lucidum fruitingbody extract functions as the emperor or king ingredient in this blend;the Selaginella tamariscina plant functions as the minister ingredient;the Ginkgo biloba leaf extract functions as the assistant ingredient;and the Calendula officinalis flower extract functions as the servantingredient. Preferably, this blend of fermented plant extract furthercomprises one or more additional minister ingredients selected from thegroup consisting of fermented extracts from Centella asiatica plant,Scutellaria baicalensis root, and Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome, and mostpreferably, it comprises all three additional minister ingredients.

The fermented extract of Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body is preferablypresent in this blend at an amount ranging from about 10% to about 45%,more preferably from about 15% to about 40%, and most preferably fromabout 20% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend. The fermentedextract of Selaginella tamariscina plant is preferably present in thisblend at an amount ranging from about 2% to about 35%, more preferablyfrom about 5% to about 25%, and most preferably from about 10% to about15%, by total weight of the blend. The fermented extract of Ginkgobiloba leaf is preferably present in this blend at an amount rangingfrom about 0.1% to about 20%, more preferably from about 1% to about15%, and most preferably from about 3% to about 10%, by total weight ofthe blend. The fermented extract of Calendula officinalis flower ispreferably present in this blend at an amount ranging from about 2% toabout 35%, more preferably from about 5% to about 25%, and mostpreferably from about 10% to about 15%, by total weight of the blend. Ifpresent, the fermented extract of Centella asiatica plant is preferablyat an amount ranging from about 2% to about 35%, more preferably fromabout 5% to about 25%, and most preferably from about 10% to about 15%,by total weight of the blend. If present, the fermented extract ofScutellaria baicalensis root is preferably at an amount ranging fromabout 2% to about 35%, more preferably from about 5% to about 25%, andmost preferably from about 10% to about 15%, by total weight of theblend. If present, the Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome is preferably at anamount ranging from about 2% to about 35%, more preferably from about 5%to about 25%, and most preferably from about 10% to about 15%, by totalweight of the blend. This blend of fermented plant extracts is used tobalance both the Yang-dominant skin composition and the balanced-to-Yangskin composition, but at different concentrations. For example, theconcentrations of fermented plant extracts in products designated forthe balanced-to-Yang skin composition are preferably from 25% to 75%,more preferably from about 40% to about 60%, of those in productsdesignated for the Yang-dominant skin composition.

For users with a Yin-dominant or balanced-to-Yin skin composition, thepresent invention provides a blend of fermented plant extractscontaining at least four, and preferably seven, ingredients to nourishthe Yang energy in the skin, balance/neutralize the excess Yin energy,strengthen the body fluid circulation, improve the immune system,enhance the skin barrier function, and enhance the self-repair functionof the skin. Such a blend contains fermented extracts from Rhodiolarosea rhizome, Perilla frutescens fruit, Phellodendron amurense bark,and Foeniculum vulgare seed. The Rhodiola rosea rhizome extractfunctions as the emperor or king ingredient in this blend; the Perillafrutescens fruit functions as the minister ingredient; the Phellodendronamurense bark extract functions as the assistant ingredient; and theFoeniculum vulgare seed extract functions as the servant ingredient.Preferably, this blend of fermented plant extract further comprises oneor more additional minister ingredients selected from the groupconsisting of fermented extracts from Santalum album stem, Hordeumdistichon seed, and Citrus reticulata peel, and most preferably, itcomprises all three additional minister ingredients.

The fermented extract of Rhodiola rosea rhizome is preferably present inthis blend at an amount ranging from about 10% to about 50%, morepreferably from about 15% to about 45%, and most preferably from about25% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend. The fermented extract ofPerilla frutescens fruit is preferably present in this blend at anamount ranging from about 0.5% to about 30%, more preferably from about1% to about 20%, and most preferably from about 5% to about 15%, bytotal weight of the blend. The fermented extract of Phellodendronamurense bark is preferably present in this blend at an amount rangingfrom about 0.5% to about 30%, more preferably from about 1% to about20%, and most preferably from about 5% to about 15%, by total weight ofthe blend. The fermented extract of Foeniculum vulgare seed ispreferably present in this blend at an amount ranging from about 0.1% toabout 15%, more preferably from about 1% to about 10%, and mostpreferably from about 2% to about 5%, by total weight of the blend. Ifpresent, the fermented extract of Santalum album stem is preferably atan amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 15%, more preferably fromabout 1% to about 10%, and most preferably from about 2% to about 5%, bytotal weight of the blend. If present, the fermented extract of Hordeumdistichon seed is preferably at an amount ranging from about 10% toabout 50%, more preferably from about 15% to about 45%, and mostpreferably from about 25% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend. Ifpresent, the Citrus reticulata peel is preferably at an amount rangingfrom about 5% to about 40%, more preferably from about 10% to about 30%,and most preferably from about 15% to about 20%, by total weight of theblend. This blend of fermented plant extracts is used to balance boththe Yin-dominant skin composition and the balanced-to-Yin skincomposition, but at different concentrations. For example, theconcentrations of fermented plant extracts in products designated forthe balanced-to-Yin skin composition are preferably from 25% to 75%,more preferably from about 40% to about 60%, of those in productsdesignated for the Yin-dominant skin composition.

The present invention further provides a blend of fermented plantextracts for treating dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles around theperiorbital areas. According to TCM theories, dark circles are caused bystasis of Qi and body fluid, while puffiness around the eye area iscaused by dampness and stasis of body fluid. Therefore, the presentinvention provides a blend of fermented plant extracts containing fouringredients for complementing Qi, improving the circulation of bodyfluid, removing dampness, tightening the skin, and prevent pre-matureskin aging. Such a blend contains fermented extracts from Ligusticumchuangxiong root, Paeonia lactiflora root, Rehmannia glutinosa root, andZizyphus jujube fruit. The Ligusticum chuangxiong root extract functionsas the emperor or king ingredient in this blend; the Paeonia lactifloraroot functions as the minister ingredient; the Rehmannia glutinosa rootextract functions as the assistant ingredient; and the Zizyphus jujubefruit extract functions as the servant ingredient. The fermented extractof Ligusticum chuangxiong root is preferably present in this blend at anamount ranging from about 5% to about 50%, more preferably from about10% to about 40%, and most preferably from about 20% to about 30%, bytotal weight of the blend. The fermented extract of Paeonia lactifloraroot is preferably present in this blend at an amount ranging from about5% to about 50%, more preferably from about 10% to about 40%, and mostpreferably from about 20% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend.The fermented extract of Rehmannia glutinosa root is preferably presentin this blend at an amount ranging from about 5% to about 50%, morepreferably from about 10% to about 40%, and most preferably from about20% to about 30%, by total weight of the blend. The fermented extract ofZizyphus jujube fruit is preferably present in this blend at an amountranging from about 5% to about 50%, more preferably from about 10% toabout 40%, and most preferably from about 20% to about 30%, by totalweight of the blend.

The above-described blends of plant extracts can further include otherplant extracts of known skin care benefit but are not specificallymentioned herein. Such plant extracts may include, but are not limitedto, those obtained from roots, leaves, flowers, stalks or other parts ofplants such as Simmondsia Chinensis, Camellia Sinensis, Coffee Arabica,Betula Alba, Zea Mays, Siegesbeckia Orientalis, Helianthus Annus,Hordeum Vulgare, Cucumis Sativus, Carthamus Tinctorius, MangiferaIndicia, Garcinia Indica, Anthemus Nobilis, Arabidopsis Thaliana, MyrtusCommunis, Apium Graveolens (Celery), Arabidopsis Thaliana, PadinaPavonica, Beta Vulgaris, Betula Alba, Butyrosperum Parkii, GarciniaMangostana, Racemusus, Platycodon, Emblica Officinalis, Criste Marine,Lavande Papillon, Polygonum Cuspidatum, Laminaria Japonica, FucusVesiculosis, Borago Officinalis, Phyllanthus Emblica, Inonotus Obliquus,Calophyllum Inophyllum, Scutellaria Baicalensi), Boswellia Serrata,Boswellia Bhau-dajiana, Boswellia Frereana, Boswellia Papyrifera,Sudanese Boswellia Sacra, Boswellia Carteri, Commiphora Incisa,Commiphora Myrrha, Commiphora Abyssinica, Commiphora Erthraea,Commiphora Molmol, Bursera Microphylla; Nidularium Procerumt, CurcumaLonga, Macrycystis Pyrifera, Pleurotus Ostreatus, Hypsizygus Ulmarius,Cladosiphon Okamuranus, Acalypha Wilkesiana, Acanthopanax Gracilistylus,Allium Sativum, Ananus Comosus, Cissampelos Sympodialis, CoriolusVersicolor, Echinacea Purpurea, Grifola Frondosa, HarpagophytumProcumbens, Panax Ginseng, Polygala Tenuifolia, Poria Cocos, SilybumMarianum, Smilax Glabra, Tinospora Cordifolia, Uncaria Tomentosa,Withania Somnifera, Echinancea, Viscum Album, Capparis Moonii, CapsellaBrusa Pastoris, Doliocarpus Verruculosus, Kaempferia Galanga, SauropusAndrogynus, Tetracapidium Conophorum, Pinus Pinaster, Vitis Vinefera,Pluchea Indica, Viola Hondoensis, Triphala Chebula, Citri Reticulatae,Tepescohuite, Mimosa Pudica, Silymarin, Eucommia, Menyanthes Trifoliata,Calluna Vulgaris, Rosa Canina, Polyporus Umbellatus, ChamomillaRecutita, Pygeum Africanum, Actina Boswellia, Soft Pygeurm CapsicumAnnum, Carpinus Laxiflora, Parinus Tschonoskii, Castanopsis Cuspidata,Selaginella Tamariscina, Rosmarinus Officinalis, Cayaponia Tayuya,Celosia, Cristata, Cercis Chinensis, Haplophyllum hispanicum,Scutellaria Rivularis, Centauriumt, Polygonum Cuspidatum, NigellaSativa, Rhodiola Rosea, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Zhi Mu, UncariaTomentosa Cereus Granidflora, Chaenomeles Sinensis, Lyngbya, ViapurePoria, Polyporus Umbellatus, Chrysanthellum Indicum, Tridentatamarginate, Paeonia Albiflora, Saussurea Costus, Saussurea Lappa,Magnolia Officianalis, Echineacea Pallida and those set forth on pages2755-2757 of the C.T.F.A. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionaryand Handbook, Eleventh Edition, 2006, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

Particularly, extracts from certain fungi with known medicinal benefitscan be included in the blends of plant extracts of the presentinvention. For example, fungi from the genus Trametes are known fortheir medicinal properties. Sophisticated outdoorsmen will sometimeschew a piece of fungi picked from Trametes Versicolor (also referred toas Turkey Tail) like gum when they are hiking in the woods. It has beendiscovered by the inventors that in addition to their known medicinalproperties, Trametes extracts also have beneficial properties whenapplied to the skin. Specifically, Trametes extracts contain certainchemical components that are particularly effective in whitening orbrightening the skin. It is believed that such skin-whitening orbrightening effect is achieved either through inhibition of tyrosinaseactivity or other cellular pathways that lead to skin pigmentation,thereby preventing formation of age spots or mottled skin, or throughdestruction of melanin in already formed age spots or mottled skin andthereby improving the overall evenness of the skin tone. Extracts fromthe Trametes genus are also excellent moisturizers, and some species mayalso be useful in absorbing excess sebum in oily skinned individuals.

Various plants or raw plant materials as described hereinabove are firstcut and cleaned and then subjected to a low temperature water extractionprocess, in which the plant materials are immersed in a solvent systemconsisting essentially of deionized water at a temperature ranging fromabout 75° C. to about 95° C. (preferably from about 80° C. to about 90°C.) and a pressure ranging from about 0.03 to about 0.05 mpa for aduration of about 8 to 10 hours. The extraction solution is thenconcentrated at a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 65° C.(preferably from about 55° C. to about 60° C.) and under a vacuumcondition characterized by a negative pressure ranging from about 1 torrto about 100 torr, more preferably from about 5 torr to about 50 torr,and most preferably about 10-15 torr. The concentrated extract solutionis then spray dried at a temperature ranging from about 100° C. to about150° C., preferably 120° C. to about 140° C., to form fine powders readyfor packaging and shipping.

The blends of plant extracts in the above-described fine powder form canbe directly formulated into topical or cosmetic compositions. However,such topical or cosmetic compositions are typically characterized by adistinctive bitter odor and a brownish dark color commonly associatedwith TCM extracts and may not be considered aesthetically andolfactorily acceptable by most users of cosmetic or skin care products.In order to improve the aesthetic and olfactory appeal of the finalcosmetic or skin care products, the present invention employs a uniquefermentation process to further treat the blends of plant extracts asdescribed hereinabove.

The fermentation process of the present invention comprises incubating ablend of plant extracts in the presence of yeast, fungi, or othersuitable aerobically metabolizing microorganisms, under suitable aerobicconditions, for a period of time sufficient to reduce or eliminate theundesirable odor and/or color of the plant extracts while preserving thedesirable biological activities of the TCM ingredients. In aparticularly preferred embodiment, the microorganism used for fermentingthe plant extracts is a fungus from the genus Trametes, and morepreferably from the species Trametes Versicolor.

The fermentation process can take either one of two approaches. Thefirst approach is a process in which the microorganism is fermented notonly in the presence of the plant extracts but also with traditionalculturing nutrients. During such incubation, the yeast or othermicroorganisms can multiply significantly in number. The second, andpreferred, approach is to ferment the yeast or other microorganisms inan aqueous environment, in the presence of only the plant extracts andin substantial absence of any additional nutrients, or in a low nutrientmedia, so that during the fermentation process, the yeast or othermicroorganisms only engage in catabolic processing of the plantextracts. The incubation is monitored periodically for signs of theplateauing of biological activity, for example, a leveling off of pH,and then the system temperature is raised to between about 30-50° C.,preferably about 40-45° C., for at least about 24 hours. In oneembodiment, the temperature is then briefly raised to 90-95° C. for aperiod of about 5-10 minutes, which ruptures the yeast, releasing thecell contents. Alternately, the cells can be disrupted by sonication.The entire system is then cooled to room temperature, and filtered withprogressively decreasing pore size to remove yeast debris, leaving afermented extract that has significantly reduced odor and/or color incomparison with the unprocessed extract.

The amount of plant extracts used is also not critical; however, if itis desired to prevent proliferation of the yeast or othermicroorganisms, the amount should be controlled so as not to provideenough nutrients so to allow multiplication. Ordinarily, the amount ofplant extracts used in the incubation medium of the present inventionranges from about 0.01 to about 10%, preferably from about 0.01 to about5%, by total weight of the incubation medium, the concentrationdepending on the types of plant extracts used as well as on thesolubility thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention as described above, the incubationmedium contains simply water in addition to the plant extracts. In apreferred embodiment, the water used, however, is a structured water,i.e., I water, S water, or a combination of the two, as described, forexample, in RO 88053 [S-type water], and RO 88054 (I-type water], andU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,846,397 and 6,139,855, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference. The use of structured water in one orboth of these phases of the fermentation process can further enhance thedesired biological activities of the plant extracts. As also notedabove, the incubation medium is generally not supplied with any othernutrients besides the plant extracts, so that the sole source ofsubstrate for the microorganisms' biochemical activity is the plantextracts provided. However, in an alternate embodiment, the fermentationprocess can be performed in the presence of a nutrient mediumappropriate for the growth of the microorganisms.

The fermentation process as described hereinabove not only functions toreduce or eliminate the undesirable odor and color typically associatedwith TCM ingredients, but is also capable of enhancing or boosting thedesired biological activities of the TCM ingredients. Such desiredbiological activities include, but are not limited to: ATP-elevatingactivities, anti-inflammation activities, anti-irritation activities,immune modulating activities, blood circulation-enhancing activities,anti-oxidant activities, photoprotective activities, anti-histamineactivities, skin-whitening activities, anti-chemotactic activities,collagen synthesis-enhancing activities, fibronectin synthesis-enhancingactivities, anti-glycation activities, anti-phospholipase A2 (PLA2)activities, phosphodiesterase (PDE)-inhibiting activities, superoxidedismutase (SOD)-like activities, DNA synthesis-enhancing activities,protein synthesis-enhancing activities, DNA-repairing activities, skinbarrier-repairing activities, anti-glycosaminoglycanase activities,anti-elastase activities, catalase-like activities, interleukin-1 (IL-1)alpha protein-inhibiting activities, interleukin-8 (IL-8)protein-inhibiting activities, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-inhibitingactivities, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-inhibiting activities,anti-tyrosinase activities, anti-adhesion activities, 5-lipoxygenase(5-LO)-inhibiting activities, and the like.

The fermented blends of plant extracts as described hereinabove can beused for formulating various cosmetic and skin care compositions ofvarious forms, such as anhydrous or aqueous gels, solutions or serums,emulsions (such as water-in-oil, oil-in-water, water-in-silicone, orsilicone-in-water emulsions). Suggested amount of the fermented plantextracts as used in such compositions may range from about 0.001% toabout 75%, preferably from about 0.05% to about 70%, more preferablyfrom about 0.1% to about 65%. If in anhydrous form, the compositiongenerally comprises from about 0.1-95% oil, and optionally otheringredients such as powders, sunscreens, and the like, with allpercentages meaning percent by weight unless otherwise indicated. If inaqueous gel, solution, or serum form, the composition may comprise fromabout 1-99% water, and optionally other ingredients. If in emulsionform, the composition may comprise from about 0.1% to about 99%,preferably from about 5% to about 95%, more preferably from about 7% toabout 90% water and from about 0.1% to 99%, preferably from about 5% toabout 95%, more preferably from about 7% to about 90% oil or silicone.

Types of cosmetic or skin care compositions that the present inventioncovers include, but are not limited to: mascara, blush, eye shadow,eyeliner, skin cream, skin lotion, skin treatment serum, foundation,lipstick, lip gloss, and the like. Such compositions may include variouscosmetic or skin care ingredients, as described hereinafter:

1. Oils

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention maycontain one or more oils which may be volatile or non-volatile. The term“oil” refers to an ingredient that is pourable at room temperature (e.g.25° C.) The term “volatile” means that the oil has a vapor pressure ofgreater than about 2 mm. of mercury at 20° C. Volatile oils may includesilicones or paraffinic hydrocarbons. If present, such volatile oils mayrange from about 0.1 to 50%. Examples of volatile silicones includelinear silicones such as hexamethyldisiloxane (0.5 centistokes (cs)),octamethyltrisiloxane (1.0 cs), decamethyltetrasiloxane (1.5 cs),dodecamethylpentasiloxane (2.0 cs); or cyclic volatile siliconesgenerally referred to as “cyclomethicone”, which may beoctamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane,dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, and so on. Examples of volatileparaffinic hydrocarbons include isohexadecane, isododecane, C9-11isoparaffins, and the like.

Nonvolatile oils may include silicones, hydrocarbons, or esters. Theterm “nonvolatile” means that the oil has a vapor pressure of less thanabout 2 mm. of mercury at 20° C. Examples of nonvolatile siliconesinclude dimethicone or diethicone; phenyl-substituted silicones such asphenyl trimethicone, diphenyl dimethicone, phenyl dimethicone,trimethylsiloxyphenyl dimethicone, phenethyl dimethicone; and the like;C2-14 alkyl substituted silicones such as cetyl dimethicone, hexyldimethicone, lauryl dimethicone; or fluorinated silicones such asperfluorononyl dimethicone, trifluoropropyl dimethicone; and the like.

Examples of non-volatile hydrocarbons include hydrocarbons having from10 to 40 carbon atoms in the linear or branched form such as C10-40isoparaffins, C12-20 isparaffins; or olefins having from about 18 to 54carbon atoms, for example C18-26 olefin, C20-24 olefin, C26-54 olefin;polybutene, polyisobutene, polydecene, or hydrogenated derivativesthereof such as hydrogenated polyisobutene; isoeicosane; squalane;squalene; and so on.

Examples of esters include those formed by the reaction of mono-, di-,or polyhydric C1-10 alcohols with carboxylic acids having from about 1to 40 carbon atoms, preferably fatty C6-22 carboxylic acids. Preferredalcohols include ethanol, propanol, butanol, hexanol, glycerin, and soon. Preferred carboxylic acids include myristic, stearic, isostearic,palmitic, behenic, and so on. One particularly preferred ester is formedby the reaction of a polyhydric alcohol with fatty carboxylic acids,more specification glycerin and stearic acid, to provide glycerylstearate, diglyceryl diisostearate, glyceryl triisostearate, and so on.Most preferred is glyceryl stearate.

2. Film Formers

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention maycomprise at least one film former which is capable of forming a filmwhen applied to the skin surface. If present, suggested ranges of filmformer(s) are from about 0.1 to 45%, preferably from about 0.5 to 40%,more preferably from about 0.5 to 30%. Film formers may be synthetic ornatural polymers. They may be water soluble or oil soluble. They may bein the form of particles in aqueous dispersion, or solubilized ordispersed in the lipophilic phase of the composition. Examples of filmforming polymers include polyurethanes either in lipophilic form or inthe form of particles in aqueous dispersion; copolymers fromethylenically unsaturated monomers, for example, homo- or copolymers ofacrylates, ammonium acrylates, styrene, acrylamides, methacrylates,vinyl acetate, vinyl pyrrolidone; or siloxy silicate polymers such astrimethylsiloxysilicate, polymethylsilsesquioxane; or silicone gumswhich are general dimethicone or dimethiconol having a degree ofpolymerization ranging from about 100,000 to 100 million cs. Examples ofsuch film forming polymers include, but are not limited to, acrylatescopolymer, polyurethane, acrylamide/ammonium acrylate copolymer,acrylamides copolymer, acrylates/acrylamide copolymer,acrylates/ammonium methacrylate copolymer, acrylates/octylacrylamidecopolymer, PVP, PVA, PVP/VA copolymer, acrylates/VA copolymer,acrylates/VP copolymer, ammonium styrene/acrylates copolymer, and so on.Also suitable are naturally occurring polymers such as shellac orcellulose. Preferred is where the film former is shellac in aqueousdispersion which comprises from about 10-70% water, 1-40% shellac, andoptionally from about 0.1-40% of a monohydric alcohol (preferablyisopropanol or ethanol) and from about 0.0001 to 10% of a neutralizerwhich may be ammonium hydroxide. Also preferred is where the film formercomprises a vinyl pyrrolidone homo- or copolymer such as PVP, PVP/VAcopolymer and so on.

3. Structuring Agents

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention may alsocontain at least one structuring agent which increases the viscosity orthickens the composition. If present, suggested ranges of structuringagent(s) are from about 0.1-70%, preferably from about 0.5-65%, morepreferably from about 1-60%. Structuring agents may be natural orsynthetic waxes, polymeric materials that increase viscosity, and thelike. Examples of waxes include polyethylene, polypropylene, beeswax,beeswax modified by reacting with polyethylene glycol, such as PEG-8beeswax, PEG-10 beeswax, carnauba, ceresin, microcrystalline, or fattyalcohols such as stearyl, behenyl; or fatty acids such as stearic acid,behenic acid, isostearic acid, and so on. Also suitable as structuringagents are polyamides or silicone polyamides. Examples include thosesold by Arizona Chemical under the trademarks Sylvaclear® and Uniclear®,including those having the INCI names ethylenediamine/stearyl dimertallate copolymer or ethylenediamine/stearyl dimer dilinolate copolymer,ethylenediamine/dimer tallate copolymer bis-hydrogenated tallow amide;Polyamide-3; ethylenediamine/hydrogenated dimer dilinoleate copolymerbis-di-C14-18 alkyl amide; Polyamide-4; bis-stearylethylenediamine/neopentyl glycol/stearyl hydrogenated dimer dilinoleatecopolymer and the like. Silicone waxes may also be used including butnot limited to stearyl dimethicone, behenyl dimethicone, behenoxydimethicone, stearoxy dimethicone, and so on. Also suitable asstructuring agents are N-acyl amino acids or esters or amides thereof;12-hydroxystearic acid or esters or amides thereof; fatty acid esters ofdi- or trifunctional alcohol dimers; or alkylamides of di- ortricarboxylic acids. Examples include stearamide MEA-stearate, N-acylglutamic acid diamide, and so on.

Also suitable as structuring agents are naturally occurring ingredientsthat increase viscosity such as gums, including but not limited toAcacia Senegal gum, Veegum (magnesium aluminum silicate), biosaccharidegum, Boswellia Serrata gum, Cassia gum, cellulose gum, Gellan gum,xanthan gum, algin, agarose, cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and thelike.

Silicone elastomers are also suitable structuring agents and includethose that are formed by addition reaction-curing, by reacting anSiH-containing diorganosiloxane and an organopolysiloxane havingterminal olefinic unsaturation, or an alpha-omega diene hydrocarbon, inthe presence of a platinum metal catalyst.

Examples of suitable silicone elastomers for use in the compositions ofthe invention may be in the powder form, or dispersed or solubilized insolvents such as volatile or non-volatile silicones, or siliconecompatible vehicles such as paraffinic hydrocarbons or esters. Examplesof silicone elastomer powders include vinyl dimethicone/methiconesilesquioxane crosspolymers like Shin-Etsu's KSP-100, KSP-101, KSP-102,KSP-103, KSP-104, KSP-105, hybrid silicone powders that contain afluoroalkyl group like Shin-Etsu's KSP-200 which is a fluoro-siliconeelastomer, and hybrid silicone powders that contain a phenyl group suchas Shin-Etsu's KSP-300, which is a phenyl substituted siliconeelastomer; and Dow Corning's DC 9506. Examples of silicone elastomerpowders dispersed in a silicone compatible vehicle includedimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymers supplied by a variety ofsuppliers including Dow Corning Corporation under the tradenames 9040 or9041, GE Silicones under the tradename SFE 839, or Shin-Etsu Siliconesunder the tradenames KSG-15, 16, 18. KSG-15 has the CTFA namecyclopentasiloxane/dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer. KSG-18has the INCI name phenyl trimethicone/dimethicone/phenyl vinyldimethicone crossoplymer. Silicone elastomers may also be purchased fromGrant Industries under the Gransil trademark. Also suitable are siliconeelastomers having long chain alkyl substitutions such as lauryldimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymers supplied by Shin Etsu underthe tradenames KSG-31, KSG-32, KSG-41, KSG-42, KSG-43, and KSG-44.Cross-linked organopolysiloxane elastomers useful in the presentinvention and processes for making them are further described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,970,252 to Sakuta et al., issued Nov. 13, 1990; U.S. Pat. No.5,760,116 to Kilgour et al., issued Jun. 2, 1998; U.S. Pat. No.5,654,362 to Schulz, Jr. et al. issued Aug. 5, 1997; and Japanese PatentApplication JP 61-18708, assigned to Pola Kasei Kogyo KK, each of whichare herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention may alsocontain one or more aqueous phase thickeners. If present, suggestedranges are from about 0.1-30%, preferably from about 0.5-25%, morepreferably from about 0.5-20%. Suitable thickeners include acrylicpolymeric thickeners comprised of monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylicacid, or their simple C₁₋₂₂ alkyl esters. Acrylic polymer solutionsinclude those sold by Seppic, Inc., under the tradename Capigel havingthe CTFA name Acrylates Copolymer.

Also suitable are acrylic polymeric thickeners that are copolymers ofacrylic acid, methacrylic acid or their C₁₋₂₂ alkyl esters furthercopolymerized with one or more fatty alkoxylated alcohols. Examples ofsuch thickening agents include acrylates/steareth-20 methacrylatecopolymer, which is sold by Rohm & Haas under the tradename Acculyn 22,or acrylates/steareth-20/methacrylate crosspolymer which may bepurchased from Rohm & Haas under the tradename Acculyn 88.

Also suitable are acrylate based anionic amphiphilic polymers containingat least one hydrophilic unit and at least one allyl ether unitcontaining a fatty chain. Preferred are those where the hydrophilic unitcontains an ethylenically unsaturated anionic monomer, morespecificially a vinyl carboxylic acid such as acrylic acid, methacrylicacid or mixtures thereof, and where the allyl ether unit containing afatty chain corresponds to the monomer of formula:CH₂═CR′CH₂OB_(n)Rin which R′ denotes H or CH₃, B denotes the ethylenoxy radical, n iszero or an integer ranging from 1 to 100, R denotes a hydrocarbonradical selected from alkyl, arylalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl and cycloalkylradicals which contain from 8 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably from 10 to24, and even more particularly from 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Morepreferred in this case is where R′ denotes H, n is equal to 10 and Rdenotes a stearyl (C18) radical. Anionic amphiphilic polymers of thistype are described and prepared in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,677,152 and4,702,844, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety. Among these anionic amphiphilic polymers, polymers formed of20 to 60% by weight acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid, of 5 to 60% byweight lower alkyl methacrylates, of 2 to 50% by weight allyl ethercontaining a fatty chain as mentioned above, and of 0 to 1% by weight ofa crosslinking agent which is a well-known copolymerizable polyethylenicunsaturated monomer, for instance diallyl phthalate, allyl(meth)acrylate, divinylbenzene, (poly)ethylene glycol dimethacrylate andmethylenebisacrylamide. One commercial example of such polymers arecrosslinked terpolymers of methacrylic acid, of ethyl acrylate, ofpolyethylene glycol (having 10 EO units) ether of stearyl alcohol orsteareth-10, in particular those sold by the company Allied Colloidsunder the names SALCARE SC80 and SALCARE SC90, which are aqueousemulsions containing 30% of a crosslinked terpolymer of methacrylicacid, of ethyl acrylate and of steareth-10 allyl ether (40/50/10).

Also suitable are acrylate copolymers such as Polyacrylate-3 which is acopolymer of methacrylic acid, methylmethacrylate, methylstyreneisopropylisocyanate, and PEG-40 behenate monomers; Polyacrylate-10 whichis a copolymer of sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate, sodium acrylate,acrylamide and vinyl pyrrolidone monomers; or Polyacrylate-11, which isa copolymer of sodium acryloyldimethylacryloyldimethyl taurate, sodiumacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, lauryl acrylate, butyl acrylate, andacrylamide monomers.

Also suitable are crosslinked acrylate based polymers where one or moreof the acrylic groups may have substituted long chain alkyl (such as6-40, 10-30, and the like) groups, for example acrylates/C₁₀₋₃₀ alkylacrylate crosspolymer which is a copolymer of C10-30 alkyl acrylate andone or more monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or one of theirsimple esters crosslinked with the allyl ether of sucrose or the allylether of pentaerythritol. Such polymers are commonly sold under theCarbopol or Pemulen tradenames.

Particularly suitable as the aqueous phase thickening agent are acrylatebased polymeric thickeners sold by Clariant under the Aristoflextrademark such as Aristoflex AVC, which is ammoniumacryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer; Aristoflex AVL which is the samepolymer has found in AVC dispersed in mixture containing caprylic/caprictriglyceride, trilaureth-4, and polyglyceryl-2 sesquiisostearate; orAristoflex HMB which is ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/beheneth-25methacrylate crosspolymer, and the like.

Also suitable as the aqueous phase thickening agents are variouspolyethylene glycols (PEG) derivatives where the degree ofpolymerization ranges from 1,000 to 200,000. Such ingredients areindicated by the designation “PEG” followed by the degree ofpolymerization in thousands, such as PEG-45M, which means PEG having45,000 repeating ethylene oxide units. Examples of suitable PEGderivatives include PEG 2M, 5M, 7M, 9M, 14M, 20M, 23M, 25M, 45M, 65M,90M, 115M, 160M, 180M, and the like.

Also suitable are polyglycerins which are repeating glycerin moietieswhere the number of repeating moieties ranges from 15 to 200, preferablyfrom about 20-100. Examples of suitable polyglycerins include thosehaving the CFTA names polyglycerin-20, polyglycerin-40, and the like.

Also suitable as aqueous phase thickening agents are various types ofpolysaccharides, such as xanthan gum, cellulose, dextrin, cyclodextrin,hydroxyethylcellulose, acacia gum, and the like.

4. Emulsifiers

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention mayfurther comprise at least one emulsifier or surfactant. If present,suggested ranges of such emulsifier(s) or surfactant(s) are from about0.01-40%, preferably from about 0.05-35%, more preferably from about0.1-25%. Suitable emulsifiers may be silicone based emulsifiers orsurfactants including linear or crosslinked polyoxyalkylene substitutedorganosiloxanes or alkyl substituted polyoxyalkylene organosiloxanes.Examples include those having the generic name dimethicone copolyol,cetyl dimethicone copolyol, and so on. Examples of silicone surfactantsare those sold by Dow Corning under the tradename Dow Corning 3225CFormulation Aid having the CTFA name cyclotetrasiloxane (and)cyclopentasiloxane (and) PEG/PPG-18 dimethicone; or 5225C FormulationAid, having the CTFA name cyclopentasiloxane (and) PEG/PPG-18/18dimethicone; or Dow Corning 190 Surfactant having the CTFA namePEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone; or Dow Corning 193 Fluid, Dow Corning 5200having the CTFA name lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 methicone; or Abil EM 90having the CTFA name cetyl PEG/PPG-14/14 dimethicone sold byGoldschmidt; or Abil EM 97 having the CTFA name bis-cetyl PEG/PPG-14/14dimethicone sold by Goldschmidt; or Abil WE 09 having the CTFA namecetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 dimethicone in a mixture also containingpolyglyceryl-4 isostearate and hexyl laurate; or KF-6011 sold byShin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-11 methyl etherdimethicone; KF-6012 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA namePEG/PPG-20/22 butyl ether dimethicone; or KF-6013 sold by Shin-EtsuSilicones having the CTFA name PEG-9 dimethicone; or KF-6015 sold byShin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-3 dimethicone; or KF-6016sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA name PEG-9 methyl etherdimethicone; or KF-6017 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having the CTFA namePEG-10 dimethicone; or KF-6038 sold by Shin-Etsu Silicones having theCTFA name lauryl PEG-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone.

Also suitable are various types of crosslinked silicone surfactants thatare often referred to as emulsifying elastomers. They are typicallyprepared as set forth above with respect to the section “siliconeelastomers” except that the silicone elastomers will contain at leastone hydrophilic moiety such as polyoxyalkylenated groups. Typicallythese polyoxyalkylenated silicone elastomers are crosslinkedorganopolysiloxanes that may be obtained by a crosslinking additionreaction of diorganopolysiloxane comprising at least one hydrogen bondedto silicon and of a polyoxyalkylene comprising at least twoethylenically unsaturated groups. In at least one embodiment, thepolyoxyalkylenated crosslinked organo-polysiloxanes are obtained by acrosslinking addition reaction of a diorganopolysiloxane comprising atleast two hydrogens each bonded to a silicon, and a polyoxyalkylenecomprising at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups, optionally inthe presence of a platinum catalyst, as described, for example, in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,236,986 and 5,412,004, 5,837,793 and 5,811,487, the contentsof which are incorporated by reference.

Polyoxyalkylenated silicone elastomers that may be used in at least oneembodiment of the invention include those sold by Shin-Etsu Siliconesunder the names KSG-21, KSG-20, KSG-30, KSG-31, KSG-32, KSG-33; KSG-210which is dimethicone/PEG-10/15 crosspolymer dispersed in dimethicone;KSG-310 which is PEG-15 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer; KSG-320 whichis PEG-15 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer dispersed in isododecane;KSG-330 (the former dispersed in triethylhexanoin), KSG-340 which is amixture of PEG-10 lauryl dimethicone crosspolymer and PEG-15 lauryldimethicone crosspolymer.

Also suitable are polyglycerolated silicone elastomers like thosedisclosed in PCT/WO 2004/024798, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. Such elastomers include Shin-Etsu's KSGseries, such as KSG-710 which is dimethicone/polyglycerin-3 crosspolymerdispersed in dimethicone; or lauryl dimethicone/polyglycerin-3crosspolymer dispersed in a variety of solvent such as isododecane,dimethicone, triethylhexanoin, sold under the Shin-Etsu tradenamesKSG-810, KSG-820, KSG-830, or KSG-840. Also suitable are silicones soldby Dow Corning under the tradenames 9010 and DC9011.

The composition may comprise one or more nonionic organic surfactants.Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated alcohols, or ethers,formed by the reaction of an alcohol with an alkylene oxide, usuallyethylene or propylene oxide. Preferably the alcohol is either a fattyalcohol having 6 to 30 carbon atoms. Examples of such ingredientsinclude Steareth 2-100, which is formed by the reaction of stearylalcohol and ethylene oxide and the number of ethylene oxide units rangesfrom 2 to 100; Beheneth 5-30 which is formed by the reaction of behenylalcohol and ethylene oxide where the number of repeating ethylene oxideunits is 5 to 30; Ceteareth 2-100, formed by the reaction of a mixtureof cetyl and stearyl alcohol with ethylene oxide, where the number ofrepeating ethylene oxide units in the molecule is 2 to 100; Ceteth 1-45which is formed by the reaction of cetyl alcohol and ethylene oxide, andthe number of repeating ethylene oxide units is 1 to 45, and so on.

Other alkoxylated alcohols are formed by the reaction of fatty acids andmono-, di- or polyhydric alcohols with an alkylene oxide. For example,the reaction products of C₆₋₃₀ fatty carboxylic acids and polyhydricalcohols which are monosaccharides such as glucose, galactose, methylglucose, and the like, with an alkoxylated alcohol. Examples includepolymeric alkylene glycols reacted with glyceryl fatty acid esters suchas PEG glyceryl oleates, PEG glyceryl stearate; or PEGpolyhydroxyalkanotes such as PEG dipolyhydroxystearate wherein thenumber of repeating ethylene glycol units ranges from 3 to 1000. Alsosuitable are ethoxylated propoxylated derivatives of C6-30 saturated orunsaturated fatty acids, for example, Di-PPG-2 myreth-10 adipate,Di-PPG-2 Ceteth-4 adipate, Di-PPG Myristyl Ether Adipate,

Also suitable as nonionic surfactants are formed by the reaction of acarboxylic acid with an alkylene oxide or with a polymeric ether. Theresulting products have the general formula: where RCO is the carboxylicester radical, X is hydrogen or lower alkyl, and n is the number ofpolymerized alkoxy groups. In the case of the diesters, the twoRCO-groups do not need to be identical. Preferably, R is a C6-30straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated alkyl, and n isfrom 1-100.

Monomeric, homopolymeric, or block copolymeric ethers are also suitableas nonionic surfactants. Typically, such ethers are formed by thepolymerization of monomeric alkylene oxides, generally ethylene orpropylene oxide. Such polymeric ethers have the following generalformula: wherein R is H or lower alkyl and n is the number of repeatingmonomer units, and ranges from 1 to 500.

Other suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated sorbitan andalkoxylated sorbitan derivatives. For example, alkoxylation, inparticular ethoxylation of sorbitan provides polyalkoxylated sorbitanderivatives. Esterification of polyalkoxylated sorbitan providessorbitan esters such as the polysorbates. For example, thepolyalkyoxylated sorbitan can be esterified with C6-30, preferablyC12-22 fatty acids. Examples of such ingredients include Polysorbates20-85, sorbitan oleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan palmitate,sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan stearate, and so on.

Most preferred for use in mascaras are organic emulsifers that are thereaction product of polyethylene glycol with fatty acids, e.g. PEG1-200with stearic, isostearic, myristic, behenic, cetearic, acids and so on.Particulately preferred is where the emulsifier comprises the reactionproduct of polyethylene glycol and stearic acid, e.g. PEG-100 stearate.Also suitable are derivatives of sorbitan such as Polysorbates; sorbitanesterified with stearic acid, e.g. sorbitan tristearate, and so on.

5. Particulates

The cosmetic or skin care compositions may further compriseparticulates, either in the from of pigments, powders or mixtures.Suitable pigments include inorganic pigments or iron oxides that arered, yellow, or black. Also suitable are organic pigments that are FD&Cor D&C colors or Lakes thereof such as yellows, reds, blues, etc.Suitable powders include titanium dioxide, mica, bismuth oxychloride,titanated mica, PTFE, silica, bentonite, kaolin, talc, and the like. Ifpresent, suggested ranges of pigments are from about 0.01-45%,preferably from about 0.05-35%. Suggested ranges of powders are fromabout 0.01-10%.

6. Humectants

The cosmetic or skin care compositions of the present invention may alsocontain one or more humectants. If present, suggested ranges of thehumectant(s) are from about 0.1 to 25%. Humectants include glycols,sugars, and the like. Suitable glycols are in monomeric or polymericform and include polyethylene and polypropylene glycols such as PEG4-200, which are polyethylene glycols having from 4 to 200 repeatingethylene oxide units; as well as C₁₋₆ alkylene glycols such as propyleneglycol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol, and the like. Suitablesugars, some of which are also polyhydric alcohols, are also suitablehumectants. Examples of such sugars include glucose, fructose, honey,hydrogenated honey, inositol, maltose, mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol,sucrose, xylitol, xylose, trehalose, and so on. Also suitable is urea orsugar derivatives, e.g. ethylhexylglycerin. In one preferred embodiment,the humectants used in the composition of the invention are C₁₋₆,preferably C₂₋₄ alkylene glycols, most particularly butylene glycol.

The compositions may further contain other ingredients including but notlimited to preservatives, sunscreens, and so on.

The invention will be further described in connection with the followingexamples which are set forth for purposes of illustration only.

EXAMPLE 1

Fine powder containing a blend of plant extracts for maintaining andstrengthening the Yin-Yang balance of a user with balanced skincomposition was prepared according to the extraction and dryingtechniques described hereinabove, which contains:

Ingredient % by weight Cordyceps sinensis mycelia 24% Ginkgo biloba leaf12% Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome 12% Citrus reticulata peel 12% Poriacocos sclerotium 24% Panax ginseng root 4% Perilla frutescens fruit 12%Total 100%

EXAMPLE 2

Fine powder containing a blend of plant extracts for nourishing the Yinenergy and balancing/neutralizing the excess Yang energy of a user withYang-dominant skin composition was prepared according to the extractionand drying techniques described hereinabove, which contains:

Ingredient % by weight Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body 26.67%Selaginella tamariscina plant 13.33% Ginkgo biloba leaf 6.68% Calendulaofficinalis flower 13.33% Centella asiatica plant 13.33% Scutellariabaicalensis root 13.33% Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome 13.33% Total100.00%

EXAMPLE 3

Fine powder containing a blend of plant extracts for nourishing the Yangenergy and balancing/neutralizing the excess Yin energy of a user withYin-dominant skin composition was prepared according to the extractionand drying techniques described hereinabove, which contains:

Ingredient % by weight Rhodiola rosea rhizome 28.13% Perilla frutescensfruit 9.38% Phellodendron amurense bark 9.38% Foeniculum vulgare seed3.13% Santalum album stem 3.13% Hordeum distichon seed 28.10% Citrusreticulata peel 18.75% Total 100.00%

EXAMPLE 4

Fine powder containing a blend of plant extracts for treating darkcircles, puffiness, and wrinkles around the eye areas of a user wasprepared according to the extraction and drying techniques describedhereinabove, which contains:

Ingredient % by weight Ligusticum chuanxiong root 25% Paeonia lactifloraroot 25% Rehmannia glutinosa root 25% Zizyphus jujube fruit 25% Total100%

EXAMPLE 5

A sterilized cultural medium containing an aqueous solution of Difcomalt extract broth at 1.5 wt % or 15 grams/liter was inoculated withSaccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) at about 24° C. for about 14hours, until the yeast reached the end of log phase growth, to form aninoculum. Fine powder containing a blend of plant extracts as describedhereinabove in Examples 1-4 was then added into a New BrunswickScientific Bioflo 6000 reactor/fermentor of about 100 liters in volume,together with the inoculum and various ingredients described at below:

Ingredient % by weight De-ionized water QS Anti-foam 0.01% MEB 1.37%Inoculum 1.00% Powder containing TCM blend 0.92% Butylene glycol 4.58%Total 100.00% The mixture was incubated at about 24° C. and mixed at a speed of about200 rpm for about 4 hours. The ferment solution was then sequentiallypassed through a 1% Celite Hyflo gel (diamateous earth), an Ertel5-micron cellulose pad, a Cell Flow Hollow Fiber PES 0.2-microntangential flow filter (Spectum Labs), and a SealKleen ultipore Nylon660.2-micron absolute dead-end filter (Pall Corporation).

EXAMPLE 6

Colors of the blends of plant extracts as described hereinabove inExamples 1-4 before and after the fermentation process of Example 5 werecompared using a LICO 100 color meter (Paul N. Gardner Company).Specifically, the samples were filled into 11 mm ground glass cavettesand then placed in the color meter, which provided an automatic readingof the colors in Gardner Color Number, as follows:

Color Before After Type of TCM Blend Fermentation Fermentation ForBalanced Skin Composition 8.3 8.1 For Yang-Dominate Skin Composition 6.15.5 For Yin-Dominate Skin Composition 9.4 9.2 For Eyes 6.0 5.6All samples showed reduction in color after fermentation, in comparisonwith the same samples before fermentation.

EXAMPLE 7

Odors of the blends of plant extracts as described hereinabove inExamples 1-4 before and after the fermentation process of Example 5 werecompared using an Alpha M.O.S. Fox electronic nose system. Specifically,a 1 mL aliquot of each sample was prepared in quadruplicate and ran onthe electronic nose at about 45° C. and for about 250 or 450 seconds.The data obtained for each sample was plotted using the PSA model. Inall cases, the PSA data showed observable difference between the TCMblends before fermentation and after fermentation. Further, smell testsconducted by human subjects confirmed a reduction of undesirable odor inTCM blends after fermentation, in comparison with the same blends beforefermentation.

EXAMPLE 8

Five (5) different types of skin care serums were formulated with thefermented TCM extracts described hereinabove for users with differentskin compositions, including balanced (“B”), Yang (“Ya”),balanced-to-Yang (“B-Ya”), Yin (“Yi”), and balanced-to-Yin (“B-Yi”) skincompositions, respectively:

CONCENTRATION (WT %) INGREDIENTS B Ya B-Ya Yi B-Yi De-ionized water QSQS QS QS QS Cordyceps sinensis mycelia extract (fermented) 0.022 — — — —Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (fermented) 0.011 0.006 0.004 — — Polygonumcuspidatum rhizome extract 0.061 0.012 0.009 — — (fermented) Citrusreticulata peel extract (fermented) 0.011 — — 0.017 0.013 Poria cocossclerotium extract (fermented) 0.022 — — — — Panax ginseng root extract(fermented) 0.004 — — 0.200 0.200 Perilla frutescens fruit extract(fermented) 0.041 — — 0.008 0.006 Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodyextract — 0.024 0.018 — — (fermented) Selaginella tamariscina plantextract — 0.012 0.009 — — (fermented) Calendula officinalis flowerextract (fermented) — 0.012 0.009 — — Centella asiatica plant extract(fermented) — 0.012 0.009 — — Scutellaria baicalensis root extract(fermented) — 0.012 0.009 — — Rhodiola rosea rhizome extract (fermented)— — — 0.026 0.019 Phellodendron amurense bark extract — — — 0.008 0.006(fermented) Foeniculum vulgare seed extract (fermented) — — — 0.0030.002 Santalum album stem extract (fermented) — — — 0.003 0.002 Hordeumdistichon seed extract (fermented) — — — 0.026 0.019 Butylene glycol4.458 4.649 5.534 4.465 5.350 Neopentyl glycol diheptanoate 3.500 3.5003.500 3.500 3.500 Ethylhexyl isononanoate 3.000 3.000 3.000 2.500 2.500PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil 1.800 1.800 1.800 1.800 1.800 Pentyleneglycol 1.000 1.000 — 1.000 — Cetyl ethylhexanoate 1.000 1.000 1.0001.000 1.000 Algae extract 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980 0.980Saccharomyces/xylinum black tea extract 0.861 0.861 0.861 0.861 0.861Phenoxyethanol 0.744 0.749 0.445 0.756 0.455 Caprylyl glycol 0.550 0.5500.737 0.550 0.737 Propylene glycol dicaprate 0.549 0.549 0.549 0.5490.549 Dimethicone 0.500 0.500 0.500 — — Tromethamine 0.420 0.420 0.3810.462 0.419 Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seedcake 0.405 0.405 0.4050.405 0.405 Carbomer 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.440 0.440 Polyglyceryl-2sesquiisostearate 0.300 0.300 0.300 0.300 0.300 Tocopheryl acetate 0.2000.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 Behenyl alcohol 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.100 0.100Malt extract 0.153 0.165 0.120 0.153 0.118 Glycerin 0.120 0.120 0.1200.120 0.120 Disodium EDTA 0.100 0.100 0.050 0.104 0.054 Inonotusobliquus (mushroom) extract 0.085 0.085 0.085 0.085 0.085 Dextrin 0.070— — — — Potassium sorbate 0.051 0.051 0.051 0.051 0.051 Xanthan gum0.050 0.050 — 0.050 — Aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate 0.050 0.050 0.0500.050 0.050 Citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel extract 0.050 — — — —Hordeum vulgare (barley) extract 0.030 0.030 0.030 0.040 0.040 Sodiumhyaluronate 0.020 0.020 0.100 0.020 0.100 Hydroxyethylcellulose 0.0150.015 0.015 0.015 0.015 Cellulose 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.015Adenosine phosphate 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 Acetyl carnitine HCl0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 Creatine 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009Sodium citrate 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 0.009 Cucumis sativus (cucumber)fruit extract 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 Glycine soja (soybean)protein 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.005 Citric acid 0.004 0.004 0.0040.004 0.004 Glycine — 0.500 0.050 — — Phytic acid — 0.086 0.009 — —Laminaria saccharina extract — 0.005 0.005 — — Oryza sativa (rice) branextract — 0.001 — — — Caffeine — — 0.200 — 0.200 Sodium mannosephosphate — — — 0.500 0.500 Cholesterol — — — 0.200 0.200 Linoleic acid— — — 0.200 0.200 Squalane — — — 0.118 0.118 Sodium RNA — — — 0.1000.100 Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil — — — 0.050 0.050 Helianthusannuus (sunflower) seed oil — — — 0.020 0.020 Sodium sulfite — — — 0.0040.004 Sodium metabisulfite — — — 0.004 0.004 Sodium chloride — — — 0.0010.001

EXAMPLE 9

Three (3) different types of watery lotions were formulated with thefermented TCM extracts described hereinabove for users with differentskin compositions, including balanced (“B”), Yang (“Ya”), and Yin (“Yi”)skin compositions, respectively:

CONCENTRA- TIONS (WT %) INGREDIENTS B Ya Yi De-ionized water QS QS QSCordyceps sinensis mycelia extract (fermented) 0.011 — — Ginkgo bilobaleaf extract (fermented) 0.005 0.003 — Polygonum cuspidatum rhizomeextract (fermented) 0.010 0.006 — Citrus reticulata peel extract(fermented) 0.005 — 0.008 Poria cocos sclerotium extract (fermented)0.011 — — Panax ginseng root extract (fermented) 0.002 — 0.200 Perillafrutescens fruit extract (fermented) 0.006 — 0.005 Ganoderma lucidumfruiting body extract — 0.012 — (fermented) Selaginella tamariscinaplant extract (fermented) — 0.006 — Calendula officinalis flower extract(fermented) — 0.006 — Centella asiatica plant extract (fermented) —0.006 — Scutellaria baicalensis root extract (fermented) — 0.006 —Rhodiola rosea rhizome extract (fermented) — — 0.013 Phellodendronamurense bark extract (fermented) — — 0.005 Foeniculum vulgare seedextract (fermented) — — 0.001 Santalum album stem extract (fermented) —— 0.001 Hordeum distichon seed extract (fermented) — — 0.013 Ethanol6.000 6.000 6.000 Butylene glycol 5.229 5.420 3.236 Trehalose 1.4001.400 — Glycerin 1.120 1.120 0.120 Polysorbate 20 1.000 0.800 0.800Pentylene glycol 1.000 1.000 1.000 Algae extract 0.980 0.980 0.980Saccharomyces/xylinum black tea extract 0.861 0.861 0.861 Sodium citrate0.550 0.100 0.106 Phenoxyethanol 0.505 0.510 0.506 Sodium mannosephosphate 0.500 0.500 0.500 Citric acid 0.100 0.010 0.012 Disodium EDTA0.100 0.100 0.100 Ethylhexylglycerin 0.100 0.100 0.100 Xylitol 0.1000.100 — Dipotassium glycyrrhizate 0.100 0.100 0.100 Inonotus obliquus(mushroom) extract 0.085 0.085 0.085 Malt extract 0.084 0.095 0.084Caprylyl glycol 0.025 0.025 0.025 Sodium hyaluronate 0.020 0.020 0.020Hydroxyethylcellulose 0.015 0.015 0.015 Cellulose 0.015 0.015 0.015Adenosine phosphate 0.009 0.009 0.009 Creatine 0.009 0.009 0.009 Acetylcarnitine HCl 0.009 0.009 0.009 Glycine soja (soybean) protein 0.0050.005 0.005 Tocopheryl acetate 0.001 0.001 0.001 Citrus grandis(grapefruit) peel extract 0.001 — — Dextrin 0.001 − − Propylene glycoldicaprate 0.001 0.001 0.001 Glycine − 0.500 − Phytic acid − 0.086 −Laminaria saccharina extract − 0.005 − Oryza sativa (rice) bran extract− 0.001 − Dipropylene glycol − − 1.000 Sodium RNA − − 0.100 Sodiumchloride − − 0.001

EXAMPLE 10

An eye cream product was formulated with the fermented TCM extractsdescribed hereinabove.

INGREDIENTS WT % De-ionized water QS Ligusticum chuanxiong root extract(fermented) 0.011 Paeonia lactiflora root extract (fermented) 0.011Rehmannia glutinosa root extract (fermented) 0.011 Zizyphus jujube fruitextract (fermented) 0.011 Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) 4.998Cetearyl alcohol 4.240 Butylene glycol 4.229 Hydrogenated polyisobutene3.500 Phenyl trimethicone 3.250 Dimethicone 2.150 Polybutene 2.000Polyglyceryl-3 beeswax 2.000 Polymethyl methacrylate 1.724 Isostearylneopentanoate 1.500 Cetearyl glycoside 1.060 PEG-100 stearate 1.000Tocopheryl acetate 1.000 Polysilicone-11 0.800 Phenoxyethanol 0.632Propylene glycol dicaprate 0.549 Stearic acid 0.500 Helianthus annuus(sunflower) seedcake 0.405 Squalane 0.375 Glycerin 0.350 Methyl glucosesesquistearate 0.350 Ethylhexylglycerin 0.298 Mica 0.294 Caprylyl glycol0.245 Titanium dioxide 0.232 Acrylates/C10-30 alkylacrylate crosspolymer0.200 Phytosphingosine 0.200 Gentiana lutea (gentian) root extract 0.198Aminomethyl propanol 0.160 Disodium EDTA 0.150 Yeast extract 0.125Hordeum vulgare (barley) extract 0.105 Xanthan gum 0.100 Camelliasinensis (green tea) leaf extract 0.100 Linolcic acid 0.100 Salviaofficinalis (sage) leaf extract 0.100 Sodium dehydroacetate 0.100 Sodiumhyaluronate 0.100 Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate 0.100 Cholesterol 0.100Betula alba (birch) extract 0.100 Malt extract 0.069 Glycine soja(soybean) protein 0.050 Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract 0.050Hexylene glycol 0.040 Hydrogenated lecithin 0.010 Cucumis sativus(cucumber) fruit extract 0.007 Potassium sorbate 0.002 BHT 0.001Tocopherol 0.001

While the invention has been described in connection with the preferredembodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular form set forth but, on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What we claim is:
 1. A topical composition for maintaining the Yin-Yangbalance of a person with balanced skin, said composition comprising aneffective amount of a blend of fermented extracts of Cordyceps sinensismycelia, Ginkgo biloba leaf, Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome, Citrusreticulata peel, Porio cocos sclerotium, Panax ginseng root, and Perillafrutescens fruit, wherein said blend of fermented extracts is obtainedby: (i) blending Cordyceps sinensis mycelia, Ginkgo biloba leaf,Polygonum cuspidatum rhizome, Citrus reticulata peel, Porio cocossclerotium, Panax ginseng root, and Perilla frutescens fruit extracts toprovide a blend of extracts; (ii) fermenting the blend of extracts witha microorganism, wherein the microorganism can be yeast cells, andculturing nutrients; or (iii) fermenting the blend of extracts withmicroorganisms, wherein said microorganisms can be yeast cells, in anaqueous environment in substantial absence of additional nutrients orlow nutrient media to catabolically process the blend of extracts; (iv)monitoring the fermentation of (ii) or (iii) for signs of plateauingbiological activity; (v) briefly raising the temperature to rupture theyeast cells to release yeast cell contents, or disrupting the yeastcells by sonication; and (vi) filtering to remove yeast cell debris andto recover the blend of fermented extracts, wherein the blend offermented extract has reduced odor and/or color, wherein the blend offermented extracts is in the form of a fine powder, and wherein thetopical composition further comprises a cosmetically or pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier.